Communication between cultures

Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures? If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

Yes, I do believe that I communicate differently with people from different groups and cultures.  From my own cultural perspective I have been raised to understand that it is acceptable to speak within our own cultural circle in a relaxed language form.  It is not necessary to be “proper” and we are not required to use the correct verbs and word forms when communicating.  However, I was also taught that when I am around the dominant culture, Caucasian population, that I must use proper language in order to gain a place amongst them.  So as I share with my children, you have to know when and how to speak so that you are not viewed as uneducated.  So when I am around members of the white population I have to switch to my proper mode, when I am around Native Americans I feel that I can communicate in my normal/home language, when I am around the Hispanic population I notice that I speak slower and perhaps use easier to understand terms, and when I am around the African American population I feel that I communicate using a mixture of my home language mixed with some proper depending on the situation in which I greet the culture.  I think another issue that determines the way in which I communicate is the environment or situation.  If I am in professional mode I usually maintain my “proper” language and persona.  This may be more or less true depending on the behavior of the audience. 

Three strategies that I could use to be a more effective communicator with other cultures or groups is to continue to seek knowledge about other cultures or groups in order to better grasps the social cues and rituals that would allow me to be better understood in our communication.  I should ask questions about things I do not understand about a culture, their rituals or expectations and listen to their answer, in order to improve communication between myself and these groups.  According to our reading, I should also be prepared to answer the questions about myself and my culture in order to show that I have a vested interest in clearing the way for better communication in the future.  Finally, when dealing with a culture that I am unsure of the expectations, language, or gestures that are acceptable I could create was in known as a “third culture” which is an environment that is created between people of different cultural backgrounds together to provide an environment with predetermined social communication rules for communication.  I feel that when we are professionals this creates a “third culture” in which all educators are free to communicate effectively within because we understand the expectations for effective communication for educators.

Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2011). Interpersonal communication: Relating to others (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.   Chapter 4, "Interpersonal Communication and Diversity: Adapting to Others" (pp. 85–114)